We report the discovery and characterisation of a super-Earth and a sub-Neptune transiting the bright (
K
= 8.8), quiet, and nearby (37 pc) M3V dwarf TOI-1266. We validate the planetary nature of ...TOI-1266 b and c using four sectors of TESS photometry and data from the newly-commissioned 1-m SAINT-EX telescope located in San Pedro Mártir (México). We also include additional ground-based follow-up photometry as well as high-resolution spectroscopy and high-angular imaging observations. The inner, larger planet has a radius of
R
= 2.37
−0.12
+0.16
R
⊕
and an orbital period of 10.9 days. The outer, smaller planet has a radius of
R
= 1.56
−0.13
+0.15
R
⊕
on an 18.8-day orbit. The data are found to be consistent with circular, co-planar and stable orbits that are weakly influenced by the 2:1 mean motion resonance. Our TTV analysis of the combined dataset enables model-independent constraints on the masses and eccentricities of the planets. We find planetary masses of
M
p
= 13.5
−9.0
+11.0
M
⊕
(<36.8
M
⊕
at 2-
σ
) for TOI-1266 b and 2.2
−1.5
+2.0
M
⊕
(<5.7
M
⊕
at 2-
σ
) for TOI-1266 c. We find small but non-zero orbital eccentricities of 0.09
−0.05
+0.06
(<0.21 at 2-
σ
) for TOI-1266 b and 0.04 ± 0.03 (< 0.10 at 2-
σ
) for TOI-1266 c. The equilibrium temperatures of both planets are of 413 ± 20 and 344 ± 16 K, respectively, assuming a null Bond albedo and uniform heat redistribution from the day-side to the night-side hemisphere. The host brightness and negligible activity combined with the planetary system architecture and favourable planet-to-star radii ratios makes TOI-1266 an exquisite system for a detailed characterisation.
L’artérite à cellules géantes (ACG) est la vascularite systémique la plus fréquemment rencontrée chez des personnes de plus de 50 ans. Le traitement repose sur la corticothérapie, mais au prix d’un ...taux important de rechutes et d’effets secondaires. L’interleukine-1 semble jouer un rôle significatif dans l’ACG.
Nous rapportons l’efficacité en add-on therapy de l’anakinra, un récepteur antagoniste de l’interleukine-1, chez 6 patients atteints d’ACG avec corticodépendance (définie comme au moins 2 rechutes ou la combinaison de 2 des critères suivants : corticothérapie>20mg/j ou>0.3mg/kg à M6 ; corticothérapie>10mg/j ou>0,2mg/kg à M12 ; et/ou un traitement maintenu >24 mois) ou corticorésistance (définie comme une persistance du syndrome inflammatoire à M3 malgré une corticothérapie>0,5mg/kg).
Cinq patients remplissaient au moins 3 critères ACR, et le dernier 2 critères plus la démonstration d’une atteinte des gros vaisseaux au TEP-scanner. Au total, au diagnostic d’ACG, 4 et 4 patients avaient, respectivement, une aortite et/ou une pseudopolyarthrite rhizomélique (PPR) associée.
L’anakinra a été débuté après une médiane de 13 quartiles 1-35-18 mois après le diagnostic à la dose de 100mg/jour par voie sous-cutanée, en adjonction à une posologie médiane de prednisone de 14 12–26 mg/j. Après une durée médiane de traitement par anakinra de 19 18–32 mois, tous les patients démontraient une rémission clinique et biologique complète tant de l’ACG que de la PPR. L’ensemble des 4 patients concernés par une aortite montraient une rémission iconographique complète ou partielle, respectivement chez 2 et 2 d’entre eux. Chez l’un des 4 patients concernés par une PPR, une récidive des signes articulaires était survenue 13 mois après introduction de l’anakinra, lors d’une tentative d’espacement des injections à toutes les 48heures. Une seconde rémission complète fut obtenue à la reprise du rythme posologique initial, permettant secondairement un arrêt de la corticothérapie puis de l’anakinra, respectivement après 18 et 24 mois. Après une durée médiane de suivi de 56 48–63 mois, 2 et 4 patients ont pu, respectivement, décroître à 5mg/j ou arrêter la corticothérapie. Au dernier suivi, un seul patient, alors sans corticothérapie, était toujours traité par anakinra par une injection/72heures. Concernant la tolérance, 3 patients ont développé des réactions aux points d’injection d’évolution rapidement favorable, et 1 patient a été hospitalisé pour une infection pulmonaire ayant nécessité la suspension de l’anakinra.
Dans cette cohorte de patients atteints d’ACG avec corticodépendance ou corticorésistance, l’anakinra semble montrer un effet d’épargne cortisonique avec une bonne tolérance, y compris à long terme. De plus, cette biothérapie semble apporter un bénéfice thérapeutique dans l’atteinte des gros vaisseaux et la PPR, associations semblant constituer un palier supplémentaire aux défis thérapeutiques de l’ACG. Ces résultats nécessitent une confirmation par des données prospectives, objectif de l’essai thérapeutique randomisé contrôlé contre placebo en cours évaluant en double-aveugle dans l’ACG l’efficacité de l’anakinra pendant 4 mois en adjonction à la corticothérapie versus cette dernière seule (PHRC inter-régional ; clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02902731).
Purpose
To compare, in a case–control study, clinical characteristics of patients with low back pain (LBP) with and without Modic 1 signal changes on MRI.
Methods
Patients with chronic non-specific ...LBP and a recent (<6 months) MRI were prospectively screened and included in Modic 1 group or control group. Patients in control group were age- and gender-matched with patients with Modic 1 group. Pain characteristics, including night pain and worse pain on waking and morning stiffness, were recorded. The presence of at least one of these three characteristics indicated an inflammatory pain pattern. Patients were evaluated by questionnaires and physical examination (including lumbar range of motion). Data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses.
Results
120 patients were included (60 in each group). The groups did not differ in sedentary work (
p
= 0.25), morning stiffness for >60 min (
p
= 0.19), waking at night (
p
= 0.08), worse pain on waking (
p
= 0.09), back stiffness (
p
= 0.12), or pain with flexion (
p
= 0.87). Modic 1 patients more frequently exhibited an inflammatory pain pattern (
p
= 0.006), worse pain with lumbar extension (
p
< 0.005) and responded better to oral steroids (
p
= 0.004) than did controls. On multivariate analysis, Modic 1 changes were associated with sedentary work odds ratio 0.22 (95 % confidence interval 0.05–0.93), pain with lumbar extension 11.2 (3.1–40.4) and an inflammatory pain pattern 4.5 (1.2–16.9).
Conclusions
Characteristics of patients with LBP and Modic 1 changes on MRI consist of an inflammatory pain pattern and pain with lumbar extension.
Level of evidence
3b.
•Irradiation of zebrafish embryos with helium ions at 18-24 Gy impairs development.•UHDR irradiation spares development compared to conv-dose RT.•First evidence of in vivo “FLASH” effect with helium ...ions.
The ability to reduce toxicity of ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) helium ion irradiation has not been reported in vivo. Here, we tested UHDR helium ion irradiation in an embryonic zebrafish model. Our results show that UHDR helium ions spare body development and reduce spine curvature, compared to conventional dose rate.
From 1996 to 2006, total factor productivity in the French food industry declined by 0.4 % per year. Productivity in the “milk”, “beverage”, and “grain” industries remained relatively stable, while ...significant decreases were observed in the “meat and fish” and “otherfood” industries. These results may be due to the large share of intermediate consumption, the difficulty in raising technological yields, and stricter sanitary and environmental standards. Weaker intermediate-consumption prices offset the loss in productivity, but were also passed on to consumers in the form of lower food prices. The productivity trend in the French food industry was comparable to that observed in the other leading EU15 countries.
La productivité globale des facteurs de l’industrie agroalimentaire (IAA) française a baissé de 0,4 % par an entre 1996 et 2006. Si la productivité des secteurs “Lait”, “Boissons” et “Grains” a peu varié, les pertes de productivité ont été marquées dans les secteurs “viandes et poisson” et “autres IAA”. Ces résultats s’expliqueraient par l’importance des consommations intermédiaires, une difficulté à améliorer les rendements de conversion et l’impact du renforcement des normes sanitaires ou environnementales. Une partie de la diminution du prix des consommations intermédiaires a financé le recul de la productivité, l’autre partie étant transmise vers l’aval sous forme de réduction de prix. L’évolution de la productivité des IAA a été comparable en France et dans les principaux pays de l’Union européenne à 15.
This paper describes PDB4DNA, a new Geant4 user application, based on an independent, cross-platform, free and open source C++ library, so-called PDBlib, which enables use of atomic level description ...of DNA molecule in Geant4 Monte Carlo particle transport simulations. For the evaluation of direct damage induced on the DNA molecule by ionizing particles, the application makes use of an algorithm able to determine the closest atom in the DNA molecule to energy depositions. Both the PDB4DNA application and the PDBlib library are available as free and open source under the Geant4 license.
Program title: PDB4DNA
Catalogue identifier: AEWB_v1_0
Program summary URL: http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEWB_v1_0.html
Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen’s University, Belfast, N. Ireland
Licensing provisions: Geant4 license,
http://geant4.web.cern.ch/geant4/license/LICENSE.html
No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 34714
No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 515359
Distribution format: tar.gz
Programming language: C++.
Computer: All.
Operating system: Cross-Platform.
Classification: 3.
External routines: Geant4 10.0 or later
Nature of problem:
To evaluate strand breaks induced on the DNA molecule by ionizing particles using Monte Carlo method. It requires the implementation of DNA geometry, physical processes adapted to nanodosimetry simulations and an algorithm to determine the closest atom in the DNA molecule to energy depositions.
Solution method:
PDB4DNA is a Geant4 user application that simulates energy deposition in a target volume generated from a Protein Data Bank file representing the geometry of DNA molecule. Energy depositions are allocated to DNA geometry in order to compute DNA strand breaks.
Restrictions:
The algorithm for finding the closest atom to energy depositions has been optimized for DNA molecule and is not proposed for other stereochemistry conformation.
Running time:
Depending on the particle type/energy, PDB4DNA is able to track in the target volume: ∼5000 particles/min (100 keV protons), 120000 particles/min (100 keV electrons), Geant4.10.0 using one thread, Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4570 CPU @ 3.20 GHz, RAM 4096 MB 1600 MHz.
The GATE Monte Carlo simulation platform based on the GEANT4 toolkit has come into widespread use for simulating positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography ...(SPECT) imaging devices. Here, we explore its use for calculating electron dose distributions in water. Mono-energetic electron dose point kernels and pencil beam kernels in water are calculated for different energies between 15 keV and 20 MeV by means of GATE 6.0, which makes use of the GEANT4 version 9.2 Standard Electromagnetic Physics Package. The results are compared to the well-validated codes EGSnrc and MCNP4C. It is shown that recent improvements made to the GEANT4/GATE software result in significantly better agreement with the other codes. We furthermore illustrate several issues of general interest to GATE and GEANT4 users who wish to perform accurate simulations involving electrons. Provided that the electron step size is sufficiently restricted, GATE 6.0 and EGSnrc dose point kernels are shown to agree to within less than 3% of the maximum dose between 50 keV and 4 MeV, while pencil beam kernels are found to agree to within less than 4% of the maximum dose between 15 keV and 20 MeV.
Highlights • A review of the current status of Geant4-DNA is presented. • New physical models describing the interactions of electrons in water are described. • Physicochemical and chemical stages of ...water radiolysis can be simulated. • Several approaches are available for modeling geometries of biological targets. • Dedicated examples are proposed to demonstrate such capabilities.
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